Punch Shots: Time is now for Phillies to trade Brown

By
Matt Smith, Delaware County Daily Times

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

If the Phillies want to make a big splash this offseason, they should trade Domonic Brown.

After signing a pair of aging, past-their-prime players to bloated multi-year contracts over the last week, dealing Brown might seem foolish on the surface, but consider the move an addition by subtraction.

There’s a scene at the end of the second season of the HBO hit, “Boardwalk Empire,” when one of the lead characters is killed off. The decision to whack a fan favorite was widely panned, but the send-off was vital in terms of progressing the story. The Phillies need fresh characters and a new direction, and they should start by unloading their former top prospect.

Brown is the team’s most promising regular under 30 years old on the major-league roster, and thus, a major asset. For all we know, the All-Star nod and 27 home runs could be the launchpad for a Hall of Fame career. More likely, though, Brown’s value is at an all-time high, and there’s no telling if he’ll ever match or exceed his 2013 production.

If Ruben Amaro Jr. wants to dig the organization out of the mess he’s created, he should start by trading a young, controllable player like Brown, who is still a year or two from his prime and won’t be a free agent until after the 2018 season.